Forever and Always
by Simplegift96
Summary: Itachi, promise me something... Don't ever leave, okay?


**A/N: Late gift!fic for an awesome, awesome friend of mine :D This was supposed to be uploaded yesterday but I got caught up with my exams so I only got to finish it today *sad* Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! :)**

**Warnings: Slight OOC (Characterization is not my strong point, working on it though!), slight SasuNaruSasu, slight angst/fluff**

* * *

~~oOo~~

"Big Brother, what's that?"

Itachi glanced down to the direction of the voice. Sasuke stood there, his eyes drawn to the scabbard he held in his hands. He was looking at it so intently, childish curiosity etched on his face.

"It's a sword, Sasuke," Itachi replied softly.

"Did Father give it to you?"

"Yes."

"..."

"Hmm? What was that, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, straining to hear what Sasuke was trying to say.

"Can I- Can I hold it, Big Brother?" Sasuke asked - mumbled, in Itachi's opinion - looking back up at the sword, a faint blush dusting his cheeks.

"Be careful," Itachi warned, handing over the scabbard gently.

Sasuke grasped the item tightly between his small hands, awe lighting his features. Tentatively, he ran soft hands across the scabbard, feeling every bump and ridge of the intricate design. Taking heed of his Big Brother's warning, he unsheathed the sword, wanting to see the sword itself. The item slid out of its scabbard effortlessly, immediately catching the sun's light as it was twisted this way and that.

Sasuke continued to marvel at its reflective surface before he was told to put it back into its place. Reluctantly, he gave the sword back to his brother.

"B-Big Brother!" Sasuke suddenly exclaimed, stopping Itachi from returning the sword back to his room.

"What is it, Sasuke?" He asked patiently.

"Um, can you... Can you teach me how to use it?" Sasuke replied quickly, seemingly embarrassed by his own request.

A small smile touched Itachi's lips, "Of course. But perhaps when you've grown older, okay, Sasuke?"

"Mhm! Okay, Big Brother!"

"Now, go on ahead, Sasuke. I have to finish up some stuff."

"Bye bye, Itachi!" Sasuke waved his hand furiously at his brother. "I'll grow bigger real quick, promise!"

~~oOo~~

Sasuke stared on in horror at the sight of his parents crippled on the floor, drenched in their own blood.

"Big Brother, why?"

Itachi stood there motionless, his face blank, giving nothing away.

"Why, Itachi?" Sasuke asked once again, a tremor wracking his entire body, his voice shaking with the effort of holding back his sobs.

"Father! Mother!" Sasuke yelled out, unable to control himself anymore. A wave of nausea hit him, causing him to vomit violently. Soon enough, his body gave in to the pull of gravity, his vision fading into darkness, his brother's shadow the last thing he saw.

"Ita..chi..."

~~oOo~~

"Hey, what's that?"

Sasuke started upon hearing the noise, almost dropping the sword to the floor.

"Heh, did I scare you?" The other occupant teased, wrapping both of his arms around Sasuke's waist.

"Hn, dobe." He felt, more than saw the small smirk on Naruto's face.

"Is that his?"

"Yeah."

"Huh."

"..."

"He would've been so proud of you, you know," Naruto commented softly, turning Sasuke around so he could look at him properly.

"I know."

Sasuke remained silent for a few moments, his dark eyes unfocused as if lost in a past memory.

"He promised me that he will teach me how to use this," Sasuke whispered, making Naruto strain his ears just to hear him, "But he never got to. It's okay though, I watched him use it enough times to be able to have some sort of idea. I even stole it from his room one night to practise with it, didn't get too far with it before he caught up with me."

"Mhm..." Naruto hummed lightly, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I just never thought he would...," He couldn't say the words, "But he did it for the good of the clan." Sasuke stared once again at the sword in his hands, gripping it lightly, gently as if it would break easily.

Naruto tightened his hold on him, "Let's go, Kakashi and Sakura are waiting for us. We promised to have dinner with them, remember?"

"Hn. _You_ promised, I wasn't allowed to speak," Sasuke retorted, giving Naruto as soft glare.

"You, me, different words, same thing."

"Dobe."

"Teme."

"Thank you," Sasuke whispered.

Naruto simply smiled, knowing full well what Sasuke meant.

"C'mon! To food!"

"Idiot," Sasuke breathed out as Naruto pulled him off to get ready.

~~oOo~~

The sword was left lying on the table, all thoughts of the past pushed away for now. Laughter rang out from outside, drifting inside the house, enveloping the sword. The past may be gone but never will it be forgotten.

* * *

**I really miss Itachi...**


End file.
